Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Leukemia Society is well-served by celebrity waiters

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999 | 9:47 a.m.

Elizabeth Foyt's social column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at elizabethfoytsimmons@prodigy.net.

Hilarity and high spirits went a long way to contribute to the success of the "Celebrity Waiter Gala Dinner" to benefit the Las Vegas office of the Leukemia Society of America. Serving up the lovely meal at the Four Seasons were celebrity waiters Suzanne and Bob Moon, Denise Alderette, Sandy Ewan, Denny Weddle, Jim Alexander and David Afromsky. A first-time event for the organization, the gathering drew table sponsors including Realtor Cathy Bittinger and Jim Alexander of Renaissance Pools who jointly chose an African safari theme for guests Jani Mae Den Herder, Tanya Alexander, Norm Johnson and others.

Nearby, Denise Alderette's choice was football mania, appropriate for the Monday evening, where table mates Jeff Silvers, Cliff Evarts, Bill Martin and Jeff Ortwein were among those cheering on the Buccaneers.

Accompanying emcee/entertainer Kenny Kerr was his sister, Marlene Vidal, and niece, Lorrie Vidal, who also created a fabulous holiday centerpiece for the live auction. Kerr's warm humor and antics delighted the crowd throughout the event, which was chaired by Charlette and Elliot Krane. Bidders at the silent auction pausing for photos with Mustafa the Tiger included Maggie and Gregg Schiffbauer, Dan and Joanne Bradley, Diane and Tom Grasso, Mark Whitmore, Neil Lewis, Jay Heller, Rick Crawford and Jan Adams.

Proceeds from the event will be used for patient support and care of local leukemia patients.

Youth Charities at Piero's

Youth Charities of Southern Nevada, an organization founded by community leaders of note, convened last week to distribute a donation of $27,500. The luncheon event at Piero's Restaurant provided checks in the amount of $2,500 to charities, including I Have a Dream, Regina Hall, Baby Find, St. James After-School Program, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Manny Cortez Elementary School, Reach Out, Take Five For Kids and Kappa League Youth Group. Previously this holiday season Youth Charities of Southern Nevada helped 650 needy children in our community to enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner.

The faces behind this generous organization include Tony Tegano, Christina Hixson, Bobby Gordon, Freddie Glussman, Jim Chaisson, John Moran, Jr., Richie Isola and Ron Lurie, to just name a few. Serving as the leaders in this effort are Mike Meyers (president), Gloria Banks Weddle (vice president), Jared Shafer (secretary), J. Charles Thompson (treasurer) and Manny Cortez (director at large).

Bellagio site of party

One of the loveliest evenings of the holiday season was a lavishly hosted event given by Suzy Nagle, director of Tiffany and Company at their spacious store inside Bellagio. An occasion designed to recognize leaders of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, it also served to shine a spotlight on this cultural and environmental project which has been designed to preserve the area known to many as "big springs."

Honorees at the event were Janie Greenspun Gale and Elaine Wynn, both charter members of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve Foundation. Greenspun Gale serves as Foundation president, and with Wynn as well as Tiffany and Company has presented significant donations to support funding for the project, which involves restoration of several historic structures located on the 180-acre site.

Upon completion, scheduled for 2005, the Las Vegas Springs Preserve will provide visitors with a historical sense of the origins of Las Vegas.

Located between Rancho Road and Valley View Boulevard, along the southern edge of U.S. Highway 95, the property is rightfully called the "birthplace" of Las Vegas. It was water from the springs that drew American Indians, explorers and travelers and nourished the meadows that inspired the city's name.

Present at Tiffany and Company's reception were Nancy and Kell Houssels, Steve Lawrence and Edye Gorme, Susan and Andy Tompkins, Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone, Jill Campbell, Karen Gott, Barbara Mulholland, Stan Hunterton and Rose McKinney James. Seen in the crowd receiving best wishes on his recent appointment to the Las Vegas City Council was Councilman Michael Mack, with fellow Councilman Larry Brown, joined by Bob Forbuss, Chairman of the Board for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and native Nevadan Dr. Keith Bowman.

In attendance for the ceremonies honoring Elaine Wynn and Janie Greenspun Gale were community leaders including Steve Wynn, Mayor Oscar Goodman, Patricia and Lamar Marchese, Amy Ayoub and Gina Polovina as well as Barbara Greenspun with son and daughter-in-law Danny and Robin Greenspun, Dick Wimmer, deputy administrator of the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Sidney Hendrickson and Bill Marion.

The Las Vegas Springs Preserve maintains a website at www.lvspringspreserve.org.

Resort welcomes Center

Maryann and Paul Steelman as well as the Paul E. and Helen S. Meyer Foundation and family, were honored for their efforts on behalf of the arts during formal ceremonies held at the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center's Inaugural Holiday Ball.

A glittering event at the Resort at Summerlin, one of many properties designed by Paul Steelman and his associates, the elegant affair drew many arts supporters, among them Karen and Ron Glad, Ron and Joanie Richardson, state Sen. John Porter and wife Laurie, Adele Kadens, Robert Mann and wife Sondra Lynch, Edward and Eleanore Doumani as well as Peggy Brown, Susan Houston, Neil and Gail Miller, Ken and Betty Miller, Janice Tanno, Toni Clark with Larry Finuf, and Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani and Gary Gray.

Dorothy Kemp, Lia Roberts and Kim Ungar, each of whom serves as a trustee for the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center, jointly chaired the benefit evening. Together, with a battalion of able volunteers, the evening was planned to provide a lavish silent auction, a most delectable multi-course dinner and video presentations profiling the philanthropic and professional endeavors of Paul and Maryann Steelman and the Paul E. and Helen S. Meyer Foundation and family. Entertainment was a joyous blend of music from international artist Giovanni, the Desert Chorale, directed by Nancy Helm, and the Community College of Southern Nevada Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Dick McGee.

Seated at each table for the gala were members of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center board of trustees, among them architect Alexander Nevsky, engineer Allen Gray Browne, former Congressman John Ensign, Dorothy Bolognini and Donald Kemp (foundation president) as well as Assemblyman Harry Mortenson (first vice president) with his wife Helen Mortenson (secretary), Gary Carlson (second vice president) and Russell Garrett (treasurer).

During the evening's program Donald Kemp had the pleasure of introducing a preview video explaining the design of the arts center. With a site of 43 acres, the facility will be built at the foot of the Spring Mountains with view of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the Strip. Featured in the video were the architectural renderings provided by Paul Steelman, Ltd., which have designed the multiple buildings of the arts center. Lending their efforts to the splendid fund-raiser were Angie Wallin with daughters Cara Tucker and Julie Shafer as well as Dennis Ortwein, Trish Williamson, Jean and Rollan Braum and dozens more.